Switch structure



Sept. 11, 1934 L. M. BURGESS SWITCH STRUCTURE Filed June 7: 1933 BY HIS iTTORNEY Patented Sept. 11, 1934 1,973,369 SWITCH STRUCTURE Lauren Mortimer Burgess, Ramsey, N. J., 88-

signer to Hygrade Sylvania Corporation,

Salem, Mass a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 7, 1933, Serial No. 674,618

'9 Claims. (01. 200-50) This invention relates to with particularity switches. V v

An object of the invention is to provide a novel form of switch structure which is positive. and

reliable in operation;

switch structures and to so-calledpanel type Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of unitary power and selective switch such as employed in radio panels or the like.

Another object is to provide an improved panel type switch whereby a power circuit can be closed in displaced time relation to the closing of an associated selective circuit. C A further object of the invention relates to a 'combined power and selective switch for radio panels or the like, wherein the timed actionof the power circuit closure and the selective circuit closure are controlled by atoggle.

A further feature relates to an improved form of toggle switch.

A further feature relates to a panel type switch which is positive in operation. and wherein the power closure section and the selective circuit section are united by a-flexible link.

A still further feature relates to a combined power circuit and selective circuit switch, wherein the two sections of the switch are connected by a universal flexible coupling member.

A still further feature relates to the novel organization and arrangement of relative location of parts which go to make up an efiicient power and selective circuit switch.

Other features and advantages not specifically enumerated.- will be apparent after a consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims. a 5

While the invention will be described herein as embodied in a. power and selective switch for a radio panel, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. in the drawlng,- I

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view, partly in .section of a switch structure embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front -view of 'theswitchof Fig.1. Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 represents a. panel .such as ordinarily employed in radio transmitters or the like. This panel may be-of insulation or, if desired, of metal if itis to beused as a ground or common return for the various circuits. Rigidly supported with relation to the panel 1 is a bearing bracket 2 Accordingly which has at its left-hand end an annular rim 3,

and at its right-hand end a solid portion 4 provided with a journal bearing for the shaft 5. The face of the rim 3 is undercut, as indicated by the numeral 6. Attached to the front of the rim 3 by suitable screws 7 is an annular member 8 which has its inner wall tapered as shown. Mounted for rotation within the tapered portion 8 is 'a dial member 9 having atapered peripherycorresponding to the taper on the inner wall of member 8. Member 9 is provided with a circular lip 10 which registers with the circular channel defined by rnembers 6 and 8, thus providing a continuous bearing for the dial.

The dial member 9 is preferably in the form of a casting having formed thereon two parallel spaced lugs 11 and 12 which have openings to receive a short stud shaft 13, on which is' pivotally mounted the L-shaped switch lever 14. The downwardly extending arm of the switch lever is provided with any suitable form of insulated handle 15, while the short arm of this lever extends through a longitudinal slit in the member 9. Thus lever 14 is capable of independent-oscillation about the pivot or stud 13 and is capable of bodily rotary movement with the dial member 9. Attached to member 9 is a suitable pointer or finger 16 which registers with a suitably marked scale 17 attached to the front of the panel. v v

For the purpose of centering the dial in its various selective positions, the member 8 is provided with a series of V-shaped notches 18, each notch corresponding to a particular selective position of the switch. Adapted to register with the grooves 18 is a. projection 19 carried by the switch lever 14'. Pivotally'united to the righthand end of the short arm 15 of the switch lever is a link 20 which in turn is 'pivotally united-to a cross-head 21 carried by shaft 5. A suitable flat type or coil type spring 22 may be positioned on shaft 5 adjacent thecross head to load the toggle which is constituted by the link 20 and the I short arm 15 or the switch lever and cause it to lock in either the upward or downward position of the handle 15. The link 20 and the short arm 15 of the switch lever thus constitute a toggle which may be broken upwardly and downwardly by simply raising and lowering the handle 15.

Attached to the portion 4 of the bearing bracket 2 is. a ring 23 of insulating material, this ring carrying a pair of spaced metal rings 24, 25 constituting power circuit terminals. A suitable connecting lug or binding post 26 is pro vided foreach of the rings so that they may be connected to a power circuit or the like.

Toggle link 20 has fastened thereto by rivets or screws 27 an arm ,28 of insulating material, this arm carrying a spring-pressed contact button 29 which in turn is aflixed'to a rod 30 slidably mounted in arm 28. A spring 31 maintains the rod and contact button towards the right, so as to provide a resilient engagement between the saidcontact button and the power supply rings 23 and 24 when the handle 15 is in the position shown in full lines.

Associated with shaft 5 is another shaft 32 which carries two pairs of brushes 33, 34 and 35, 36. These pairs of brushes may be insulatingly mounted and fastened to the shaft 32' as, for example, by an insulating collar 37. Shaft 32 is provided with suitable bearings (not shown) whereby it is supported for reciprocation and rotation. Associated with the said pairs of brushes is a panel 38 carrying a metal contact ring 39, and a series of contact buttons 40, 41, etc. These contact buttons are preferably arranged in diametrically opposite pairs so that each pair is simultaneously engaged by the diametrically opposite brushes 33 and 34, there being a pair of buttons for each selective position of the switch. Similarly, each pair of buttons is associated with a corresponding notch 18 so that when the member 19 enters a notch, the brushes 33, 34'

are centered ,on the corresponding contact buttons. As shown in the drawing, brushes 35 and 36 are adapted to engage the ring 39 which may be connected to a common return conductor of the system.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the switch comprises a power circuit section shown in the left-hand portion of Fig. 1 and a selective circuit section shown in the right-hand portion of Fig. 1. In order to facilitate assembly of the two switch sections, and to compensate for lack of alignment between switch shafts 5 and 32, these shafts are coupled by a device which has what maybe termed universal flexibility. Thus, as shown in the drawing, this device comprises a circular disc 42 which is fastened to the end of the shaft 5, and a similar disc 43 fastened to the end of the' shaft 32. Discs 42 and 43 are in turn connected to a disc 44, preferably of insulating material suchas porcelain or the like, by'spring arms-45 and 46. While the drawing shows only one spring 46, it, will be understood that there is another spring arm connected on the opposite diameter to the discs 43 and 44. As shown in the drawing, the arms 45 and 46 are connected to the discs in substantially perpendicular planes. By this arrangement, therefore, the shafts 5 and 32 can be rotated as a unit and slight diflerences of alignment between these shafts will not cause binding thereof.- At the same time the disc 44, being of insulating material, serves to insulate the shafts 5 and 32 from each other..

- As set forth above, one of the features of the switch structure described is that the power cirthe rings 24 and 25 may be connected to a source cuit section of the switch is adapted to close or open at a difierent time from the opening or closing of the selective position of the switch. This is of particular importance when the switch is to be used with a radio transmitter or the like, since under certain conditions it is highly important that the power circuit be opened before opening the selective circuits. For example,

of high potential suchas ordinarily employed on the anodes of radio tubes, while the contacts 40, 41, etc., may be connected to the tuning circuits or other similarportions of the radio system.

to another, that the power circuit be broken before breaking the contact between brushes 33 and 34 and-the associated contact buttons. For

this purpose the toggle formedby the arm 15 and the link 20 is so designed that in its normal or full line position, the contact button 29 is in engagement with the power supply rings 24 and 25, and the selective brushes 33,34, 35, 36 are in contact with the associated terminals 40, 41 and the associated ring 39, respectively. If the switch is to be moved to another selective position, the handle 15 is moved in the direction of the arrow, as a result of which'the toggle is broken downwardly. Because of the relation between the sections of the toggle, the downward component of the toggle motion is greater than the horizontal component thereof, with the result that the contact button 29 breaks contact before the brushes 33, 34, 35, 36 break contact. This condition is illustrated by the dotted portion of the handle and toggle mechanism in Fig. 1. As the handle 15 is moved further, for example, to the dash-dot position, the horizontal motion of the toggle is sumcient to move the shafts 5 and 32 so as to break contact in the selective portion of the switch. Theshafts 5 and 32 may now be rotated to the desired selective position and the handle 15 maybe moved back to its normal position to cause the projection 19 to engage the corresponding notch 16- in the dial. During this backward movement of the handle, the toggle is broken upwardly and contact between button 29 and rings 24 and 25 is effected before brushes 33, 34, 35, 36 make contact with the associated contacts on panel 33.

When the switch handle assumes its full line ornormal position, the latter contacts are. closed and, if desired, the springs carrying 34 may be designedto have sumcient resiliency to maintain the toggle in its upper position.

What I claim is: 1. A switch structure of the character debrushes 33,

scribed comprisinga power-control section anda trol contact mounted for movement with said shaft, a selective-control contact mounted for movement with said shaft, a switch lever and a toggle between said lever and shaft for operating said contacts in time-displaced relation, said lever being mounted for independent rotation about mutually perpendicular axes.

3. A switch structure of the character described comprising a first shaft, a second shaft, both of said shaftsbeing mounted for rotation,

and reciprocation, a toggle for operating said shafts, a contact arm controlled by said toggle, and a switch lever for breaking said toggle and for bodily rotating said toggle and shaft.

4. A switch structure comprising first and second shafts in end-to-endrelation, a coupling between said'shafts, a toggle connected to one of said shafts, a contact arm carried by said toggle, a contact arm carried by said second shaft, said togglaebeing arranged to operate said contact,

arms in time-displaced relation.

1,978,889 5. A switch structure of the. character described comprising a fixedly mounted contact.

ring, a contact arm associated with said ring a plurality of fixedly mounted selective contacts,

'a brush associated with saidselective contacts,

a single handle mounted for independent rotation about mutually perpendicular axes for operating both said arm and brush longitudinally and for bodily rotating said arm and brush, and means controlled by said handle for causing said am and brush to be operated in time-dis- I placed relation.

, 6. In a structure of the character described, a

. dial, a switchshaft, a toggle connecting said dial to said shaft, a handle for operating said toggle, and a switch contact carried by said toggle, said handle being mounted for independent rotation 8. In a structure of the character described, a panel, a dial mounted for rotation on said panel, a switch handle pivotally attached to said dial for bodily rotation therewith and having an arm extending through said dial, a link pivotally united to said arm to form a toggle therewith, circuit contacts closed by the initial movement of said toggle, and other circuit contacts closed by the final movement of said toggle.

'9. In a structure of the character described, a panel, a dial mounted for rotation on said panel, and L-shaped lever pivotally mountedon said dial'having one arm extending therethrough, a switch shaft mounted for rotation and reciprocation, a link pivotally united at one end to said arm and at the other end to said shaft, a circult contact carried by said link, another shaft coupled to the first shaft, a set .of selective cir-- cuit contacts associated with said other shaft, and a pair of brushes carried by said other shaft.

LAUREN MORTIMER BURGESS. 

